A dramatic first leg in Ostend
In a high-stakes first-leg encounter for the Champions League third qualifying round, Union Saint-Gilloise concluded with a 3-3 stalemate against Norway’s vice-champions, Bodo/Glimt, on Tuesday evening in Ostend.
The scoring began with a free-kick from Bodo/Glimt’s Berg in the 20th minute. However, Florucz quickly responded for Union Saint-Gilloise, finding the net just five minutes later (25th). The Norwegian side regained their lead through Blomberg’s penalty in the 29th minute. Yet, Florucz once again brought the Unionists level with a crucial goal just before the half-time whistle (45th+5).
The drama intensified in the closing minutes. David put Union Saint-Gilloise ahead in the 88th minute, seemingly securing a vital lead. But the advantage was short-lived as Bjortuft equalized for Bodo/Glimt in the 90th+1 minute, once again from a set-piece, ensuring the teams head into the second leg on even terms.
The decisive return leg and potential future opponents
The crucial return match is scheduled for Tuesday, August 11th, at 18:00 (CET), and will take place on Bodo’s synthetic pitch in Norway. The winner of this intense fixture will advance to face the victor of the third preliminary round clash between Olympiacos Le Pirée, the Greek vice-champions, and NEC Nimègue, who finished third in the Dutch Eredivisie. That tie also ended in a 0-0 draw in its first leg.
The team that emerges victorious from the subsequent playoff round will earn a coveted spot in the Champions League league phase, where Belgian champions Club Bruges have already secured their qualification.
Europa League fallback for Union Saint-Gilloise
Should Union Saint-Gilloise fall short in this third round Champions League challenge against the current leaders of the Norwegian championship, their European journey will continue in the Europa League. They would be directly seeded into the league phase of the competition. This scenario echoes past European campaigns, as the Unionists were previously eliminated at the third preliminary round stage by Glasgow Rangers in 2022 and by Slavia Prague in 2024.